A Friend In Need
by Rayne Arianna Maranochi
Summary: After Chloe drops Max off, Max heads back to the dorms where she talks to Dana and gets some advice. Chloe gets home and realizes some important things and decides to head back hoping she isn't too late to tell Max she is sorry, and that hopefully Max will forgive her.
1. Trust & Truth

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story or own any rites to the game Life Is Strange. This is my own multi shot take on what could have happened in Chapter 3 at the end instead. Enjoy!**

* * *

 ** _Max's_** ** _Pov_**

 _Being with Chloe again after so long is totally trippy. I missed her so much, and I feel like a mega bitch for not calling, texting, or something to keep in touch. However hanging with her has made it feel like no time has past at all, despite the differences from when she was 14 to now when she is 19. Although despite how giddy I am to be hanging out with her again and seeming to have my best friend back, it also feels like I'm more of a substitute than anything. Chloe seems to have fun when we hang out and I swear when she smiles it's like I'm looking at the Chloe I used to know, then she turns around and mentions Rachel Amber. I get it honestly, she took my place and became the person Chloe needed when I all but seemed to bail on her when she needed me the most, but it's like she is all Chloe ever talks about anymore._

 _I can understand in a way, I felt nauseous when I realized I almost lost Chloe that day in the bathrooms, when Chloe wanted to test out my powers and ended up shooting herself, when Frank threatened Chloe in the junk yard, and once again on the railroad tracks. So I can understand her want to find Rachel. However, she only seems to remember me when she's in danger or something and it makes me feel like shit. I know she said that she would never leave me when we were in the pool, but I still feel like as soon as we find Rachel and they work things out she is going to pack up and leave me alone, like I did with her back then, even though that wasn't my choice._

 _She makes me feel so confused and frustrated, and seriously inadequate at times. I mean I feel confused because everything seemed to be fine and then she admits to thinking there is no one that's good enough for me aside from her, and I find it insanely sweet. And she dared me to kiss her, that was the shock of a lifetime, though I think I shocked her more when I actually went through with the dare. It doesn't help that I feel really conflicted because Chloe is my best friend, yet the way I'm feeling leads me to think I may want more than that, but It'll never happen. Chloe only seems to see Rachel in her future, which hurts big time._

 _We ended up going through Franks RV after I managed to snag the keys from him in order to prove to Chloe that he and Rachel were a thing, the girl was in massive denial. Chloe can't seem to handle the truth, once I showed her Franks account book full of photos and love noted from Rachel to him she flipped out. Claiming that Rachel betrayed her and basically took a shit on her life like everyone else. I can say that it felt like she stabbed me when she said that, despite having left unwillingly five years ago, I came back, and I've been doing my damnedest to be there for her and help find Rachel and she is going to act like a petulant child. It pisses me off, then she had the audacity to blame poor William, as if he chose to leave her permanently that day, it was just a freak accident. She can't even be grateful that she's live despite it all, I just...I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless, Chloe wouldn't even look or talk to me at all when she dropped me off back at Blackwell._

 _So here I sit on my bed in the dorm as I write this stuff in my journal, I feel tired all of a sudden. It's like everything that's gone on this week has finally caught up to me and I just feel so damn tired of it all. First Chloe, then Kate, now I got Nathan suspended, and truth be told I'm a little skeptical if he really was to blame at all, maybe I should have rewound time and blamed Mr. Jefferson. After all he may seem like a good guy, but he is a bit shady, even David Madsen's security files state that. That's another thing, I don't think David is really a bad guy, sure he's a little paranoid, but even he is smart enough to realize some weird ass shit is going down at Blackwell and in his own way he's trying to figure out how it's all connected and who's behind it. I think in his own way he's trying to find Rachel, and not just cause she was a student, but because she was important to Chloe. He's just not very good at showing he cares._

 _Oh well, maybe staring at the photo Joyce gave me might make me feel better, remember better days, yeah?_

I sighed as I put down my pencil and closed my journal. At least I finally got that off my chest, I put the pencil back in my pencil case and the journal back in my book bag next to the camera Chloe gave me (William's old one). I then grabbed the photo Joyce gave me and scooted back against the wall and crossed my legs as I stared at it. I released a small sad sigh, back then everything was so easy, there was no Frank, or Blackwell Academy, no Mark Jefferson, no Rachel Amber, and no David Madsen. I wish I could go back and stop what happened to William, but at the same time I can't help but wonder who it would hurt in return for changing that aspect of the past. For all I know I might end up as a Vortex Club groupie, Warren could be a total dick, and Chloe might end up the one that's hurt instead. Then again, maybe if I could then Chloe wouldn't feel like she was handed the shittest lot in life to date. I just don't know.

I shook my head and scooted back to the edge of my bed as I put the photo back in my bag and got up and sat on my couch, grabbing my guitar. I started strumming something random and it came out as kind of sad and angry at the same time, kind of like my current mood. After a short while I put the guitar down and decided I needed to go for a walk or at least find someone I could talk to, so I put my guitar down and left my room. I trudged down the hallway when I spotted that the door to Dana's room was open. I went over and leaned against the doorway and grabbed my left arm kind of uncertainty, Dana was sitting on her bed and looked up. I looked up kinda nervously and Dana motioned for me to come sit on the bed beside her.

"Hey, what's up Max. You look troubled, something wrong?" Dana asked softly.

"A little. I kinda need someone to talk to who won't spread it around. I'm just, I'm really confused and frustrated right now and I kinda need a friend to listen and give me some advice." I admitted as I went and sat down beside her.

Dana nodded. "Alright, well I'm here to listen whenever you want to talk. You were there for me when I needed someone, let me do the same for you. Isn't that when friends do?" She said with an encouraging smile.

I let out a small breath of relief, looked at Dana and gave a small smile. "Yeah, I guess it is, thanks Dana. I really appreciate this."

"No problem, we can start whenever you're ready." She said.

"Okay, so I probably should start by saying that at least a small portion of this will seem like total bullshit until I prove it to you, then after that the rest of it will make sense. I promise." I looked at Dana and she nodded letting me know she was following along and wasn't going to interrupt me.

"So on Monday after Mr. Jefferson's class I headed to the female restrooms in order to clear my head, I was sort of stressing about that Everyday Hero competition that I still have to enter my photo for. So I went and washed my face, then I tore up the picture I was going to sub,it since I didn't think it was good enough, after that this really pretty Blue Butterfly came in and landed on a bucket in the back corner so I followed it to take a picture. Next thing I knew Nathan Prescott came in muttering nonsense and having a total meltdown."

"Go on." Dana encouraged, with a quick glance it showed the was listening attentively and trying to be open minded to what I was saying, at least the wasn't dismissing me, and even if she did I could always just rewind and act like this never happened.

"Well not to long after that a punk rock girl with blue hair came storming in and demanding that Nathan pay her money to keep quiet about the fact that she knew he was giving drugs to kids at some of his parties. Apparently he didn't take being told what to do so well since he pulled out a gun and threatened her, she tried to push him away and he ended up shooting her. It was about that time that everything went weird, I stepped out from the back with my right hand reached out as if I hoped I could stop it, then it was like everything was thrown in reverse and the next second I'm back in Mr. Jefferson's class again." I took a few breathers and continued my story.

"I was totally freaked, I didn't think it was real at first until everything he started talking about was the exact same as last time. I sort of tweaked and ended up breaking my camera, so I tried to see if I could do it again, you know rewind time. Turns out I could and I rewound so I didn't knock my camera off the desk, I even ended up using it to answer Mr. Jefferson's question correctly in class so I could get back to the restroom quicker, I couldn't just let that girl die if I had the ability to change it. So I beat it back to the restroom as fast as I could, and repeated everything I did last time, and like last time Nathan came in and freaked then the girl came in and started trying to get him to pay her to keep quiet. I found a mallet under the mop bucket next to the regular bucket I took the butterfly photo on earlier, then rewound time a small portion so he didn't kill her and used the mallet to break the glass of the fire alarm and set it off. It gave the girl enough time to get away and then Nathan followed quickly after not wanting to be caught. Either with a gun, because he was in the girls restroom, of because he was in the girls restroom with a gun I have no idea."

Dana took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "So wait, you want me to believe that Nathan had a gun on Monday and killed someone, and not only that but you can rewind time and did so to save said victim?" She looked really sceptical, but there was a small flicker in her eye that made me believe that she might actually believe me a little, I just had to find the right thing to get her to fully believe me.

"I swear it's the truth, tell me something you haven't told anyone else, something that you know if you were told would make you believe me without a doubt. I'll then go back and tell you what you said." I swore, hoping she would give me this chance. I could do with more people in my corner aside from...Chloe.

Dana pursed her lips and looked to Juliet's side of the room anxiously. After a moment she began to speak again. "Alright, I'm bisexual and while I like Trevor and he's a nice guy, I don't really see it lasting since I actually kind of like a girl, but I know she won't like me back. There is no way she is anything but straight."

I just raised an eyebrow and put two and two together. "It's Juliet isn't it." I said in a quiet voice so she knew I wouldn't broadcast it.

"Yes."

"I won't tell anyone, well anyone but you here in a bit anyways." I said with a small smile and you know what, Dana smiled back.

* * *

Dana took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "So wait, you want me to believe that Nathan had a gun on Monday and killed someone, and not only that but you can rewind time and did so to save said victim?"

"Yes, and I know how to convince you that I'm telling the truth." I said with a little more confidence than I felt at that moment.

"How?" Dana inquired.

"You told me that you think Trevor is a nice guy, but you don't see it lasting. You're bisexual, and really like Juliet, but you don't think she likes you back because you're pretty sure that she is straight." Dana's eyes widened and she hopped off the bed and looked around outside to make sure no one was around before she closed the door and turned around and looked at me.

"How can you know that, I never told anyone that, I would remember if I told you." She said while leaning against the door.

"You told me that kind of in a different version of this timeline, that way you would believe me without a doubt." I said in a manner that was a little calmer than she looked at the moment.

Dana went over and sat on the couch and just stared at me while she took a few calming breaths. "Alright, okay. So you can rewind time, so if this had gone badly you would have just rewound so it never happened?" She inquired after a fashion.

"Essentially yes, but it didn't go badly." I stated.

Dana frowned at that. "Then you wouldn't have had anyone to talk to though about what's wrong. I mean it's obvious your powers are cool, but they aren't a toy either. I like it better now that you can talk to me about it. It's better this way, you can vent without worry of being thought that your nuts, and I can help figure out what's going on at Blackwell." She said.

"What do you mean?" I inquired.

"I remember you told me that it was too complicated to explain and that you didn't want to get me involved yet, so I'm going to bet that it's safe to assume that it has something to do with your powers, am I right?" She waited for my response.

"No, you're right, but only partially." I sighed. This was going to take a while.


	2. Explanations & Realizations

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story or own any rites to the game Life Is Strange. This is my own multi shot take on what could have happened in Chapter 3 at the end instead. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Alright, so what am I missing then?" Dana asked politely.

I sighed and ran my hands down my face. " That whole mess was just the beginning, Dana. Later that day, do you remember I stopped by to pick up Warren's flash drive?"

"Yeah, you also helped prove to Juliet that I didn't sleep with Zachary and that it was a cruel prank by Victoria." She nodded.

"Well I met Warren in the schools parking lot and returned the flash drive. We started talking and Nathan showed up to give me hell since I 'Narked' on him to the principal for having a gun. Warren tried to stop him from getting to be and Nathan head butted him to the ground, then he grabbed me by the throat and started threatening me. I clawed at his face, so if you saw the scratch marks those were me, and he let me go. There was this beat up truck that stopped right behind me when he let go and when I got up it was the same blue haired girl, and on top of that it was my old best friend Chloe Price, who I hadn't seen in five years. Needless to say she and Warren totally saved my ass. Chloe drove away with me in the truck and Warren took a beat down from Warren so we could get away."

"Wow, that's intense Max. Though that would explain Warren's black eye." Dana said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. So it was totally trippy seeing Chloe again after so long, and it turns out she's been the one posting the Rachel Amber missing posters all over campus. They were best friends, Rachel kinda took over from when I left I suppose. I'm glad someone was there for her when everything was falling apart anyway. So naturally she digs into me for being here a month and not calling, texting, or visiting her since I've been back. To be honest I wanted too, but I was nervous and afraid she's be pissed at me, kinda like she was. She drove me back to her place, and aside from some things it's like no time had passed at all. I think her room, was the biggest change though, it was so different. I used her step dads tools to try and fix my camera since it busted when Nathan pushed me to the ground, but it was beyond repair. When she spotted the picture I took of the Butterfly she realized I totally saved her life and gave me her dad's old camera, she said it would be better with me since I would actually use it." I scooted back on Dana's bed and leaned against the wall as I talked. Dana was listening attentively to everything I said now that she knew my secret, or at least one of them.

About a half an hour later...

Then she dropped me off here and wouldn't even look at me or talk to me. It hurt like hell, and I felt like shit and at the same time so angry because she was acting like a petulant child since she didn't get her way and I wasn't fully siding with her. I feel so confused and It's driving me insane. I still think of her as my best friend, even if she doesn't see me as such anymore, but I'm also starting to feel something more for her as well. I just don't know what to do, I don't think I really stand a chance since all she can think about is Rachel Amber every moment of every day. Even when we were chilling in the pool just the two of us, she still brought her up, it should have just been a chill time between two friends no added baggage, but there she goes again bringing her up. Sometimes I think she wishes I was Rachel, I wonder if she even missed me at all. I mean...I just feel like I'm being used to find Rachel and then despite her saying she would always be her for me, she's going to leave with her and leave me alone." I let out a weak sob as my tears that I had kept bottled from the beginning of the week till now finally came spilling over and I cried. I heard rather than saw Dana move since my face was in my hands, then I felt the bed dip as I was pulled into a hug.

"Hey now, shhhh. It's alright, let it out. It's okay to be confused, and from what you've told me you're in pretty deep. I think you might of had feelings for her even before you moved, you were just too young yet to realize it, and with coming back and seeing her again it brought all the old feelings to the surface and since you can understand them now it's coming as a bit of a shock. It's not cool though that she almost seems to be using you either to have fun, or lead you on. That's not something a friend should do. She doesn't seem to be taking your feelings into account, especially with what she said about Kate. As if her problems are more important or worse than Kate's or anyone else's." Dana said while she rubbed circles in my back to calm me down. As she was holding me I heard the door open and I looked up to see Juliet looking surprised to see me crying. She came in and shut the door and went and sat on the couch.

"Hey, Max. What's wrong, why are you crying?" Juliet genuinely was concerned, then again she was a good person, if not highly gullible at times and easily manipulated by the worst people.

"She just needed a friend to talk to, Juliet. It's been a rough week, and she's hit her breaking point, she needed a girl-friend to talk too. We both know what that's like." Dana offered as an answer to Juliet's inquiry.

"Ah, yeah I remember. I felt like total shit after finding out about Zachary and Victoria, you and Max were both there for me with that." Juliet said looking at Dana before turning to me. "It's a good thing you went to Dana. She's a great listener and always gives awesome advice, it just helps if you listen to the advice, and listen to her not rumors made by the Queen Beeatch of Blackwell Academy."

I nodded back as a response since I wasn't quite done crying yet and I don't think my vocal cords wanted to work just yet either. Dana and Juliet agreed to meet up again later to talk, it seems Juliet had another scoop she wanted to write up, but wanted Dana's thoughts on it first. I can admit that although she can be a bit dense, I'm not sure Dana's crush was as one sided as she feared. Once Juliet left, and I stopped crying, Dana let me go and handed me a box of tissues for my nose.

"Thanks, Dana." I said after blowing my nose a couple of times and throwing the tissues away in the waste basket.

"No problem, Max." Dana said after putting the box of tissues down on the shelf beside her bed.

I got up and stretched then gave Dana a hug. "I think I'm wiped out now. I'm gunna head back to my room now and crash, thanks again for listening."

"It was my pleasure. I'm always here if you ever want to talk, remember that. Alright?"

I nodded. "I will." I said before I walked over to the door, opened it and walked through closing it behind me as I went.

I walked back up the hall and to my room, stopping just enough to open my door before I walked in and closed it. I went over to my closet and stripped out of Rachel's clothes and slipped into some of mine. It felt wrong wearing Rachel's clothes, besides it just wasn't my style. I folded up Rachel's clothes and grabbed a bag from my closet and put them in it. At least now I could return them to Chloe without issues, whenever she began talking to me again. I shook my head and placed the bag on the couch before I went over and made sure Lisa was watered and that Kate's bunny was fed. Then I went and crawled into my bed and tried to get some sleep I needed it after having that meltdown earlier.

* * *

 _ **Chloe's Pov**_

Driving away from Blackwell Academy after dropping Max off I felt like shit. I was upset that Rachel lied to me and didn't tell me she was with Frank, I was frustrated and felt betrayed because it seems like everyone in some way or another has taken a massive shit on my life. Dad died, Max left, then Rachel disappeared, and Mom remarried David Dickhead, I just feel like everything in my life is falling apart and I can't do shit about it. As I drove I pondered on what Max said before I dropped her off without saying anything.

As I drove and pulled into the drive of the house, I was still thinking. I turned off the truck and got out then went into the house, David wouldn't be home tonight since mom kicked him out until things were cleared up, and I knew mom was working the night shift. I went over to the bookshelf in the living room and pulled out the photo album mom had shown Max earlier that day and went up to my room to look through the photos. When I got to my room I tossed the album onto my bed, then I shrugged off my jacket and slung it over the back of my desk chair. I went and sat down on my bed and pulled the album to me, flipping to the first page and going back I let my walls come down for the first time since dad died.

I looked at the different photos of Rachel and I, the moments when mom and I got along even though she was with David, even the picture of when I was arguing with David over my birthday cake. I kind of actually felt like shit for that, I was taking my anger out on David that day I didn't want another "father" in my life, so I acted like a brat. I sighed and took my beanie off before running my hand through my hair. As I continued to look at the photos the further back I went the more I saw pictures of me when I was happier, back when dad was alive and Max and I were younger, when we were close. I winced as I remembered the conversation Max and I had that day on the railroad tracks,

"My powers might not last, Chloe." Max said.

"That's okay. We will...Forever." I said in return.

and at the pool.

"Don't give me that look. You don't have to worry, I'm never leaving you."

Gods I felt like such an ass. Max has done nothing but be my friend since we reconnected and has been doing everything in her power to help me find Rachel, but all I've been doing is being an asshole to her and making her feel like shit. I should have said something when I dropped her off, anything, she probably feels like I hate her now. Looking back on it, even though I'm worried for Rachel I loved being with Max again. However, I don't think Max knows that, after all how would she since whenever I got the chance I brought up Rachel and didn't even clarify that it was because I thought they would make great friends and honestly wished they could meet each other.

"Shit." I said as I flopped back on my bed and stared at the ceiling in dismay. I royally fucked up big time.

I didn't even think about how this could be affecting Max, I mean she saved me from getting shot by Nathan, shooting myself in the junk yard; thankfully she told me about that one which really tripped me out, She defended me from Frank, then she saved me again on the Railroad tracks, and on top of everything else she had to save Kate from attempting to kill herself and since her powers failed it could have gone either way. I know that messed her up badly, that much was proven when I acted like an ass and tried to spook her before we broke into the school with David's keys. And even after all of that when she tried telling me the truth about Rachel and even when she showed me the proof and tried to give me the hard facts that I didn't want to admit she was right about, I treated her like shit, what kind of friend am I?

Despite that I'm also feeling conflicted in my feelings for her, I know I was crushing on her before her folks made her leave, and having her come back and keep saving my ass, along with bonding with her again is just bringing everything back. I still can't believe I dared her to kiss me, what's even harder to believe is that she did kiss me. This was of course after I admitted that no one was good enough for her other than me, I'm just grateful she didn't ask if I had a boyfriend then it might lead to me telling her about my crush on Rachel...

"Awh, fuck. She has rewind powers you dumbass, she probably already knows you had a crush on Rachel, fuck I probably made her think I'm using her as a substitute or some shit. Fuck! I need to fix this, even if it means I have to eat my own pride, she's more important that something as stupid as that." I said as I jumped up off of the bed and ran over to the door flinging it open and grabbing my jacket from the desk chair on the way past, I didn't even bother closing it on my way out I just hurried down the steps and got into my truck. I started it up and headed back towards Blackwell Academy, I needed to let her know how I felt, and that I was sorry. If she forgave me for this it would be a damn miracle, I used to think Rachel was my angel because she saved me when Max left, but I was totally wrong, Max has always been my angel, my light in the dark. "Hang on Max, I'm coming."


	3. Admissions & Conclusion

**Disclaimer: I do not own Life Is Strange or any of its characters. This is simply my version of how I think Episode 3 could have ended instead. As always, I hope you enjoy! :)**

 **Shoutouts**

 **sandra9666:** This fic is awesome so far! I love to see how Chloe is showing how she cares about Max! Usually the fics are about Chloe being hurt one way or another. But I really like how you showed Max's feelings! Great fic and I hope you'll make more soon!

 **jaden4321:** Omg moar pretty please this is getting so good 10/10 I wish/hope this would be a route in future episodes we can only hope.

I want to say thank you to them for reviewing and leaving such positive feedback. I think this is the first time I remembered to thank some of those who reviewed. I love it when people appreciate my work, silly spelling mistakes and all. It makes me feel really good about my work.

* * *

 **Chloe's Pov**

As I drove down the streets toward Blackwell I ran my right hand through my hair in nervousness, beanie forgotten back on my bed in my haste to get back and explain some stuff to Max. How on earth could I have been so damn stupid. I yell at Max for not getting in touch with me during the five years she was away, then I all but rub someone else in her face.

"I am such an idiot." I mumble under my breath.

I continued driving down the road, and after a time I managed to get back to the Blackwell parking lot. All in all I would say maybe 40 minutes, 45 at most have past since I dropped Max off and headed home and got lost in my thoughts and old photographs. I parked the truck, like a normal person seeing as how even though Max let me take the money to pay off Frank, I could tell she still didn't want to shit on any handicapped people. Then I shut it down and hopped out, making my way towards the dorms, I sure hoped I didn't run into David or anyone on my way over, that would be annoying.

As I neared the dorms my hands started to sweat, what if she didn't forgive me? What if I really fucked up what little friendship I had just started remaking with her, or any chance of something more?

"Shit. Stop over analyzing and just...get you ass inside. Find Max, and apologize. Simple." I told myself in order to try and calm down. I stopped right outside the door to the dorms. "Simple, yeah right." I snorted before I turned the knob and headed inside.

Okay now, which one is Max's room... I started up the hallway and passed an open door to my right. However I didn't get very far before someone hollered after me no stopped my progress.

"Hey, you're Chloe right?" I turned and faced what looked like someone Rachel would hangout with.

"Yeah, who the hells asking?" I said.

"I'm Dana. Max is a friend of mine. If you're here to see her, then we need to talk first, because you fucked up." She said rather bluntly which cause me to wince slightly.

"How bad?" I asked, my guilt at not saying anything to her and being a shit all week slowly building.

"Bad enough. Come on in, I'll show you where Max's room is after we talk." Dana said then she turned around and headed back into her room. I followed reluctantly after, this reminds me of when Max and I were kids and mom would stop me or Max and tell us we messed up so we would then apologize. That's both comforting, and slightly frightening, funny considering the shit that's happened recently.

As I followed her in she motioned for me to sit on the couch while she sat on her bed. I followed her example and sat down on the couch and waited for my tongue lashing with closed eyes and. resigned face, however it never came. Opening my eyes I noticed Dana looking at me with raised eyebrows and a small smirk fighting to come forth.

"Don't look so scared, considering what Max has told me I find this side of you to be a shock." She said.

"What all did Max say about me?" I asked, curiously.

"Well for starters she told me everything, and I do mean everything. So the first thing I want to point out is shame on you for playing with her powers the way you have. They aren't a toy, and if you didn't notice they put a serious strain in her brain every time she uses them. If she uses them too much in a day she gets nose bleeds, and if she forces it even after that, she blacks out. As a friend you shouldn't do anything to hurt her like that." As Dana was talking I felt like shit.

"I realized after Max passed out in the junk yard that her powers were serious shit, and it scared the fuck out of me. I didn't know what was going on and I didn't want to lose her when I had just gotten her back. I'm not really good at showing my emotions anymore and when things get to emotional I get sarcastic or avoid the topic. Sometimes in a way that has me speaking before thinking. There have been a couple times when I told Max she could just rewind if we got in trouble or something and it was after that when I realized what I said and wanted to smack myself." I lamented honestly.

Dana nodded. "Well that's a start, maybe you're not as one dimensional as I thought you were. You need to work on this with Max, she thinks you're only using her as a substitute for Rachel until she gets back. After that she thinks you're going to leave her behind, like she did with you five years ago even though that wasn't her fault."

"What the hell?! I would never do that to her. Sure I want to get the fuck out of this shithole, but I would never just take off and leave Max behind. Maybe I would have left like that once upon a time, but with Max back in my life no way would I do that to her. I told her I'd never leave her and I meant it." I stated rather insistently while I was still slightly shocked that Max thought that. "On top of that Max isn't a replacement. I...I kinda realized some shit before I decided to hightail my ass back here. Rachel is my best friend, and yeah I had a crush on her at one point. However, she isn't who I like now. Fuck, I was afraid she might think this. It's one of the reasons I rushed over here, I didn't want her thinking that, I don't want her ever thinking that." I said with remorse.

Dana just stared at Chloe for a moment, taking in everything she had just said. Realization struck her and she smiled a small smile and nodded. "You like Max, don't you." She said quietly.

"Well, yeah she's my best friend." I managed not to stammer when I answered thankfully.

Dana smirked and shook her head. "No, I mean you like her, like her."

I felt my face heat up slightly and I looked away. "Maybe." I said in a whisper.

Dana smiled then. "Alright. Then I think the rest of this should be discussed with Max. Oh and I want to help find out what's going on around here. Now that I've been filled in it should be easier with three people looking for clues."

I sighed, I don't think I'd get out of this without agreeing, and begrudgingly she was right. "Fine. Um, where's Max's room?" I inquired.

"Oh. Max's room is at the end on the same side as mine." She said, I thanked her and exited her room.

I walked down the hallway and passed the bulletin board that had one of Rachel's posters attached to it. I remembered putting it up, in all honesty I'm surprised it's still up since the ones around campus are always having to be replaced, I think someone's taking those down. I shook my head and continued down the hall to the end and spotted Max's room. I took a deep calming breath and then let it out before I knocked. I heard some rustling on the other side of the door before I heard the door start to open and Max was looking at me, her eyes were puffy like she had been crying recently and I felt my heart constrict in my chest realizing I was the cause of those tears.

"Max." I said in a small voice.

* * *

 **Max's Pov**

"Chloe?" I said, although it came out as more of a question. I was surprised to see her here, especially here outside of my room. As I looked at her she looked kind of sad, combine that with how quietly she said my name, I was worried. "Come on in, what's wrong?" I asked as I moved aside so she could get in, when she walked past me I closed the door and went and sat down on my bed. I noticed she hadn't sat down yet and was looking around my room. I forgot this was the first time she was seeing it.

"I didn't know you played the guitar, or that you had plant named Lisa." She said in surprise. "Also whose bunny is that, I didn't think you had one."

"Actually, the bunny is Kate's. I'm taking care of it while she's in the hospital. The plant was a gift from my mom. As for the guitar, well mom and dad wanted me to have another hobby aside from photography. It helps when I have a lot on my mind, I can just strum something random and let it out in a constructive and musical way." I told her. I watched as Chloe nodded, and then decided to sit down on the couch. She looked kind of at a loss for what to say. "Chloe what's wrong? Why are you here?" I asked.

"Max...I'm sorry." She said in such a soft way I really didn't hear anything other than my name.

"What? Chloe I can't hear you." I said, this wasn't like Chloe at all. It was actually making me a bit worried.

"I said, I'm sorry." Chloe repeated in a slightly louder voice.

"Chloe, what..." I began to say, but she cut me off.

"I've been a bitch to you this week. You've been nothing but my best friend and have tried to do everything you can to help find Rachel and even saved me from dangerous situations this week, even from myself. All I've been is a total ass. I've been insensitive and I've probably made you feel like you didn't matter or were a substitute for Rachel. I want you to know that I never wanted you to feel like that, like ever. You mean too much to me." Chloe began explaining.

I was stunned, I didn't expect Chloe to come find me in order to apologize, and I certainly didn't anticipate any of what she was saying. Then again I shouldn't be so surprised, Chloe is still Chloe despite all the time that has passed. I watched Chloe's expression as she talked and noted as it would morph from frustration to remorse, as well as guilt. I wanted to feel happy that she was realizing how she hurt me, but instead I felt sad that she was hurting over this.

"I want you to tell me how I've made you feel this week, even if it's bad. I need to know how bad I've fucked this up. Then I can tell you my side, and hopefully we can fix this... I can fix this." Chloe said hopefully.

I took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. Well, for once I'm going to be blunt. Just so I can get this all out in the open, alright?" Chloe nodded and I continued. "I will admit I felt like I was just a substitute for Rachel, but at the same time I felt angry with you for thinking it was okay to blame William for dying, or saying that everyone has left you or taken a shit on you life in one way or another. That made me so furious, but it also felt like you stabbed me. I didn't mean to leave you and all I've done since I've been back is try and be there for you and help find Rachel, I've been nothing but your friend."

Chloe winced as I said it felt like she stabbed me. "Gods, I'm so sorry. I really fucked up this time."

I nodded. "Yeah you did. What's worse is how conflicted you've made me feel about you. Are you just using me until Rachel comes back, or do you really care?" I had to ask, even if she doesn't realize what I'm asking.

"Max, you're not a replacement. You've never been a replacement, Rachel is Rachel and you are you. No one could replace her or you. Of course I care about you, more than you know." Chloe said as she ran her hand through her hair out of nerves.

"What do you, mean more than I know. Chloe what are you saying?" I asked rather hesitantly, and more than a little hopeful.

"I...I like you Max, not Rachel. I might have liked her at one time, but not anymore. On top of that when I mentioned Rachel to you, I never meant to make it seem like a bad thing, I mentioned her because I wished you two could meet, I think you guys would be good friends." Chloe sighed as she finally looked at me and I could see just how nervous and how badly she was taking the fact that she had hurt me. "I told you once that Rachel was my angel after you left, but I was wrong. She became a friend that I needed during that time, but you have always been my angel, my light in the dark. It's just taken me this long to figure it out. Whenever I was mad or upset I would kind of sink into myself and I would end up remembering how you always used to make me feel when we were younger and I was upset."

I was pleasantly surprised when Chloe admitted that. "You, you do?" I asked quietly, still stunned. "I thought...it was just me." I said in a voice barely above a whisper.

Chloe had been looking at my desktop and when I said that her head snapped towards me when I said that last bit. I didn't even think she heard me when I said it until she spoke. "You like me back? Since when?" She inquired gently as she noticed how I froze in shock.

"Since before I left home, but hanging out with you brought everything back that I felt before, the kiss only solidified what I had only recently suspected I felt." Chloe stood up, and motioned for me to stand too. When I did she pulled me into a hug and I sunk into her arms. I wrapped mine around her back and held her close, Chloe rested her cheek on my head.

"I told you, I'm never leaving you. I meant it Max, I'll be here as long as you want me to be." Chloe said as I pulled back and looked up at her.

"I just got you back. I don't ever want you to leave me. If you need to leave though, just promise to keep in touch." I asked.

Chloe smiled at me softly and cupped my cheek in her left hand before she leaned down and kissed me, which shocked me. After I didn't respond right away she started to pull away, but I also put my right hand on the back of her neck and pulled her back and reciprocated. After a bit we pulled back and Chloe rested her forehead against mine and smiled.

"I told you, I'm not going anywhere. Not without you anyway, not again. I also just got you back, there's no way I'm letting go now." Chloe said in a low voice. I smiled and pulled Chloe with me so we could lay down beside each other on the bed.

"You know, I hope we will find Rachel...more so I know we will." I said after a small time.

"Me too, but what makes you so sure?" Chloe asked.

I turned to her and smiled. "She's a friend in need."


End file.
